


Lights go out

by SunYiJie



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akuma, Angst, Art link, F/M, living in Paris must be terrifying, picture based
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 04:17:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20901518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunYiJie/pseuds/SunYiJie
Summary: Eyes squeezed shut, fists pressed to the lids till lights were bursting in the dark. The air’s gone; it has to be. It’s gone.It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real. itsnotrealITSNOTR-That’s when the screaming began.





	Lights go out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tharkflark1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tharkflark1/gifts).

Eyes squeezed shut, fists pressed to the lids till lights were bursting in the dark. The air’s gone; it has to be. It’s _ gone _.

It’s not real. It’s not real._ It’s not real. itsnotreal _ITSNOTR-

That’s when the screaming began.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

No one’s really clear how it started.

It happened on a fairly normal day, with children attending classes and parents heading to work. 

A crash interrupted a quiet day, and people filed into basements and bathrooms and hallways sturdy enough to weather anything.

That was normal too.

Though Paris is labeled ‘The City of Light’, all too often, those lights are shaking, or flickering, or getting _ crushed beneath tons of concrete and rebar. _People have learned to accept the fear. There’s no reason not to; they’ll just wake up again. 

** _Ladybug promises._ **

But today’s attack was relatively mild. The ground wasn’t shaking, and the skies were clear. Flashes of green and orange and black and red (_blackandredandblackandredredredredred_) shot through the alleyways and from roof to roof. Eyes around the city were trained on hundreds of lit-up phone screens, owners rooting for the heroes. 

And then they snapped _ up _. Lights went down, 

down,

down. Screens shut off and the eyes watched the dark sprint closer. Children flinched as bulbs exploded _ one by one by - _

And then it was silent. Time passed.

.

_ Where was Ladybug? _

.

Heads crept out, followed by arms and torsos and legs. Friends followed friends, and families congregated where the cameras had been. 

A tree was growing in the center of the city. Buildings were overgrown and toppled, streets ripped from the ground and torn apart, and - 

Eyes skittered over the still hands laying in the shadows. 

_ Why hadn’t they heard? _

The only sound was the creaking bark as branches reached up and up and _ up. _

_ Where were the heroes? _

Leaves blotted out the sun.

_ Where is the _ ** _light?_ **

.

A cry rose up: movement spotted up above! Chat Noir was careening down the massive trunk, running like the hounds of Hell were behind him. Something was in his mouth - red and _ dripping _. He fumbled on the flat ground, staring wildly at the surrounding crowd. His ears twitched; his pupils flipped back and forth, frantic.

_ Where is _ ** _Ladybug_ ** _ ? _

And then people parted, and the young heroine broke through, battered blue and black; a relieved sigh arose.

The boy stepped forward, dropping red out from between his teeth, a half-bitten apple rolling into his hand. His ears drooped but he smiled at her.

“For you, my Lady.”

A weary grin, so full of love, and a kind palm rested upon his cheek.

“I knew you I could count on you.”

Her hand reached out to take it, fingertips brushing his.

A sudden whisper in every ear. 

“You know, as many times as this story has been told, no one ever seems to ** _learn_ ** .” _ Shivers rippled. _

“Don’t you know the original sin?”

Ladybug ** _convulsed_ **.

And shadows crept up her arms - first slow, then faster, _ faster _ , ** _faster._ **

Horrified green eyes: “Ladybug?”

And then the wind blew her away.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

And when the City of Light’s own light went_ dark? _ -

Well, promises are made to be broken.

[Image of Chat looking heartbroken, having Cataclysmed Ladybug](https://ma-tsu-the-male-goddess.tumblr.com/post/188137039416/this-was-probably-rude)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry, we sad up in here. 
> 
> This was based off the picture, not the other way around, and now whenever I see it I wanna cry. But I hope you all enjoyed! Please let me know if the formatting looks super wonky.
> 
> sorry, I can't figure out how to include the picture


End file.
